The Ensign. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1908. A CLEAR-CUT ISSUE.

Mataura Ensign, 10 November 1908, Page 2

The Ensign. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1908. A CLEAR-CUT ISSUE.

The 'Lyttelton Times' attempts a half-heartod defouee of Mr McNab's volto faeo on the land tenure question—a defence which is considerably discounted by the admission that he "would havo no groat cause to bo ashamed even if it were truo." That is, in tho words of the article, Mr McNab need not be ashamed "if as a private member ho was a freeholder, urging that the Crown tenants should bo allowed to acquire tho foe-simple of their farms, but now as a Minister ho is a leaseholder, seeking to lock up every aero of Crown land in tho country against tho sturdy settlers who want to select their own form of tenure." This it will bo admitted is a peculiar, if frank, admission and an extraordinary deduction. The justification for this direct change of front on Mr McNab's part is, according to our contemporary, that when Mr McNab was recommending, prior to last election, that Crown tenants should get tho freehold, "he was speaking entirely from the financial side of tho question." Simply that and nothing more! "Ho devoted a good deal of his attention to tho finances of the country, and suggested in one of his speechos that it would bo wise to allow tho Crown tenants to acquiro the freehold of their holdings, in order to provide the necessary funds for the purchase of more land for settlement. . . After ho had joined the Ministry ho did not lose sight of tho question," we aro informed, and it is gravely stated that in both tho Land Bill of 1906 and the Land Bill of 1907 provision was made for Crown tenants acquiring the freehold of their holdings at present value. But what sort of provision ? In tho first-named bill the fortunate l.i.p. tenant to be allowed to compete in the open market, against the world, for his holding—his own land for which he had already run the gauntlot—a truly Liberal measure I In the hill oflast year he gets the right to convert to freehold at the present value. Of coin-so Mr McNab has no right at all to ask to be judged on the land laws as they stand at present, but even if this right were conceded ho has absolutely no claim on the State tenants' gratitude, for a certain section of them arc but given impossible terms for converting their holdings into freehold, while tho land for settlement tenants cannot get it at all. It would bo interesting to know to what extent theso alleged concessions havo been taken advantage of. As a matter of fact tho provisions for granting the freehold do not constitute any concession at all, but are to all intents and purposes a hypocritical subterfuge, their only use being to serve as a temporary and far from bulletproof shelter for Mr McNab and bis land nationalising friends. This day week the electors of Mataura will have an opportunity of stating whether they wish the trend of legislation in the ■future to be in the direction of further restriction of the freehold or not. If they beliefe that freehold and leasehold with the option of converting into freehold the best means of settling the lands of the Dominion their votes should Igo for Mr Anderson; if they wish an extension of the principle 'of State ownership of the soil with a tenant right to recurrent terms of lease by the occupier, then they should vote for IMr McNab. There was nevor a clearer issue in any election, and less unlikelv things have happened than that the voting in Mataura on this occasion will mould tho land policy of tho country I'or years to come. A CASE FOR PROHIBITION. . As a general rule at political meetings the man with the question comes otl second best and makes a blunder in setting his wits against [hose of the speaker. It was not so, however, at Mataura last night, and Mr McNi.li, when Mr Mae()ihbnii had finished with him, must have felt very- much like a schoolboy who bus been snundlv birched and who is well aware thai (he punishment aecordod has been richtv deserved. Mr McNab had endeavored, with no little success until last nisdit, !o steer clear of ibe awkward predicament, of having to admit in so manv words that he had gone buck on the promises ho made in 1905. The electors had been told so by the newspapers, but the open confession that is supposed to ho so good for the soul had not been mado by Mr McNab himself. Last night it was forced from him by n searching cross-examination, and when tho Minister wax elhr.Tpfl " "„°"C. uown ic was apparent to his audience, as it must be apparent to all who read the questions and answers, that out of his own mouth he stands convicted of having made about as complete a somersault as could be looked for from tho most accomplished political tumbler. The proposer of a vote of thanks and confidence pleaded that if Mr McNab had sinned and they returned him he would sin no more. His lesson would ho better learnt by a term of compulsory retirement from temptation- —say a Parliamentary prohibition ordor with a currency of at least three years. * In the course of his speech at Mataura lust night Mr MeNub alluded in somewhat forcible terms to a statement which, he said, had been circulated up and down the electorate that immediately on the death of a tenant a leasehold reverted to the Crown. Some audiences, he stated, had been moved to tears by the recitation of the allegation that a widow and family were to be deprived of the fruits of the industry of the deceased bread-winner. AVe do not believe that any such statement is being circulated, unless it is by Mr McNab and his supporters. There was a reference in Mr Anderson's address at Core to a speech by the Hon. J. A. Millar on the laud question, from which Mr Anderson quoted with the objecS of pointing out to his audience tho danger that existed through having in the -Ministry men who held such opinions as those he cited and who in consequence would be likely to influence, the opinions and actions of the Minister of Lands. That. Mr Anderson was amply justified in making the quotation, and even nunc justified in drawing the inference, will, we think, be generally conceded, and the endeavor to make such capital out of the matter shows to what desperate straits bit opponents are reduced.